One Last Time
by shibara1310
Summary: A year has passed since the events of Castle Oblivion. Now Axel and Namine must find Kairi before it's too late. However, Axel has other plans...
1. Reminiscor

I posted this story up a couple of days ago, but no one liked it. So I made some changes! This is a sequel to 'Scribble of Red', but I have a chaptered story. This story is going to be five chapters long, but this one is short because it's an intro. chapter. Hope you guys enjoy! Reviews and critiques are needed and wanted.

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Pairing: _Axel.Namine_

**Rating: **_Teen._ For sexual content, language, and suggestive humor.

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**Chapter One : **_Reminiscor_

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"Let's go now..."

"You don't have any place to go. No home, either," came the dry remark.

"We Nobodies don't have the pleasure of homes..."

"That's right," the girl spoke up quietly. The red-headed Nobody glanced up to see the white memory witch.

"I have no home. But I have places I want to go, people I want to see," she murmured in a feather-light tone as she carefully grazed the edge of the sketchbook with the tip of her slender index finger. The picture she beheld was of the keyblade master and his Nobody. Longingly, she gazed into it, noting how it was just a mere crayon scribble compared to her other sketches. After all, she had drawn it a few months back, and she enjoyed it, despite the lack of resemblance. Though, there was sadness inside of her chest as she observed it.

No, it was not sadness. Sadness was an emotion, and Nobodies could not feel. But she always believed that the emptiness she had was the same as sadness; always, ever since she was a captive in Castle Oblivion. She knew that she had felt sadness, even love. But what was love? Was love an emotion? No, it wasn't. But love required the heart, did it not? Possible it was only raging hormones she had felt. No matter, it was not important. Not now. Nobodies could pretend to feel. But she would not. She wanted so dearly to have real emotions. She did not want false feelings.

She was an empty shell of the Princess of Hearts. She was the princess's Nobody. She had to help her. If so, she would be helping the keybearer. Wasn't that what she wanted? To be good and pure for once in her useless life? Maybe so. If she joined together with Kairi, she would be together with the boy she helped a year ago. She would be able to feel again. She would love again, _truly_ love again. If she would have a happy ending with all of her dreams come true, why was there a barren place where her heart should be?

The girl was delicately perched on the edge of the only wooden bench in the small open area. This was Sunset Hill, and named for that very reason. In the evenings, townsfolk would often come to the peak of the hill to witness the colorful sunset. At this moment, there was a bright red circle sinking into the horizon and evaporating, its rays of pinks and yellows bled through the sky. Above the girl's sitting place, the pink and deep blue of the night met each other, creating a sincere indigo. Surrounding the area was a wooden fence, acting as a barrier for children and clumsy people so that they would not fall into the train tracks that were at the base of the hill: a town called 'Twilight Town'.

Standing in front of the small artist was a cloaked man, his hood covering his face to conceal his secret countenance. She knew who this was, though. She also knew why he covered his face, and she understood. She stared into the darkness of his hood, not seeing his eyes but knowing that he was staring right back at her. She was the one who would help Kairi and make her whole again. That was what this man wanted. He cared for Kairi, and this fragile girl had to reach her Somebody before Organization XIII found her and captured her.

"I feel the same way," the hooded man stated dryly. He meant it, though. He wanted to travel and see people, talk to them, and make friends. But his wishes would not come true.

"So, how about letting us go?" a voice chided from the other side of the clearing, disrupting the silence. The blonde girl glanced up to meet emerald eyes from afar. A carefree smile was fixed upon the other man's quirky, but handsome, face. His hair defined his temper and element: flaming red with scarlet strands brushing against his high set cheekbones. He was a gangly Nobody, tall and clothed in a simple black leather cloak with matching boots. His lengthy arms crossed over his broad chest.

"That old guy told you to get rid of us, right?" he teased the hooded man. The girl started at the statement and sent the man in front of her a piercing glare.

"Did he?" she quipped towards him.

"Go," he replied when noted her tone. Naminè gazed at him with curiosity.

"Shouldn't you complete your mission here?" the scarlet haired man questioned and tilted his head to the side. The man shook his head solemnly.

"I owed you, Axel…and Naminè," said the hooded man.

"Did you?"

All attention was directed to the girl in the white dress. Her eyebrows knitted together and her jaw set firmly. The pressure was thick as the men noted the sharp edge to Naminè's pure voice. The person who the question was directed to nodded in the positive.

"Yes. You helped me at Castle Oblivion. I owe you something in return."

"Well, thanks then," Axel jeered with a half-serious tone to his usually joking voice. The fiery inferno suddenly outstretched his lengthy arm. From his fingertips, black mist erupted and swirled around a dark portal; a gateway of darkness. Lavender and royal blue mist threaded inside and out of the portal, creating an eerie appearance. Naminè glanced back at the strange character.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, scarcely loud enough for him to hear. Slowly, the girl rose up from her original seat, keeping her eyes focused on the man standing in front of her. She would miss him for sure, but she had a job to do. She was going to help him. Gradually, she tore her gaze from the cloaked man and looked over at the portal with the red headed Nobody standing next to it. Gulping quite loudly, she clutched onto her sketchbook, pressing it against her chest as she bashfully jogged toward the gateway and past her comrade. She felt the member of the Organization follow closely behind her.

True, Axel was a member of the group of Nobodies in search for hearts. But he was much different. He wanted to help Sora put an end to all of this, just like her. The girl was shaken out of her ponderings as Axel sped up his walking pace so that he was leading. As she stared into his back and his spiked red hair, she wondered what would happen after Kingdom Hearts was destroyed and Xemnas was defeated. Things would be strange for her, but back to normal for Kairi.

"So, Nami, where do you want to go?" Axel stopped abruptly and spoke, which was not expected for the girl. She ran straight into the back she was listlessly gazing at without thinking about it. Her cheek brushed against the leather. Gasping, she quickly stepped back and fluttered her long, silky eyelashes. The young witch met his green eyes as he turned to face her. She felt heat spread throughout her pale cheeks, causing a rosy pink hue to color her face.

"Well, where _she_ is, I suppose," Naminè suggested honestly and dropped her eyesight to below. Naminè and Axel were in Betwixt and Between; they had to go to a world not to start their search. An unexpected response escaped Axel's perfect lips. She heard a half-hearted chuckle in his throat and a 'heh'. Furrowing her eyebrows, she glanced back up and sent him a stern expression.

"What is it?" she queried. Axel smirked deviously.

"I know where Kairi is. I'm asking you where you _want_ to go," he replied and brought his left hand up to scratch his pointed chin. Naminè's mouth dropped open in surprise, which was answered with an interested arched eyebrow.

"Are you trying to catch flies or something?" Axel sarcastically asked. Snapping her jaw shut tight, Naminè huffed.

"If you know where Kairi is, shouldn't we go and get her now before the Organization can have a chance to snatch her away for bait?" the artist exclaimed as she gestured with her free hand. Axel watched her, but only sneered in that mischievous manner of his, making Naminè rather uncomfortable. Simply, he shook his head and crossed his long, spidery arms across his chest. Before Naminè could question him again, he raised his right hand up, signaling for her not to speak.

"I have it all under control, kid. The Organization doesn't know where the little princess is yet. We have plenty of time, you see!" Axel spread his arms out with enthusiasm and grinned at the fifteen year old. It was hard to convince her, but he would try. A look of confusion was still etched in the girl's petite, rounded face. Sighing out loud, Axel rubbed the back of his head.

"I threw them off track. It should give us a couple of days ahead of time. I thought we could use a little break, after all that has been going on. Besides, you said yourself that you had places you wanted to see, right?" Axel leaned forward toward Naminè and tapped the tip of her small, ski-jump nose, causing her to blush a deeper shade of red. He had to admit to himself that he liked it. Straightening his stance, he continued.

"I want to go to some places, too…" he said softly, letting his gaze drift off to the side. Naminè tilted her head to the side curiously.

"What places?" she quipped. Axel met her eyes.

"That wasn't the question. There has to be at least one world you want to go to," Axel thoughtfully rubbed his cheek and meaningfully stared at her, waiting for an answer. Deep down inside, she was screaming one name in particular, for she so wanted to go there. But what would he think of her? Would he think her selfish? No, she could not say. Instead she bit her lip and stared straight back into those emerald orbs that had mystified her the day she met him. He let out a gust of air.

"All righty, we'll just strike a deal," Axel stretched out his arms and weaved his fingers together and cracked his knuckles, making the girl flinch from the bone-crunching noise.

"A deal?" she squeaked timidly, holding onto her sketchbook desperately with her frail little hands. With a quirky hint of a smirk, Axel nodded his head once.

"Yeah, a deal; I'll take you to three worlds," Axel reached out his right hand, pinned his pinky against his palm with his thumb and held up three long fingers, demonstrating his point. "I bet you that one of those places is the one world you want to go."

"What if you are wrong, though?" Naminè stuck out her chin stubbornly and raised a questionable eyebrow. Gritting his teeth together, Axel rolled his eyes.

"Then I'm wrong."

"Doesn't sound much of a deal, does it? Especially if I don't get anything in return, right?"

"Fine, a surprise if you're not satisfied," Axel's eyes glinted with excitement and a strange glimmer that Naminè could not recognize. She decided to think it over. She had nothing to lose, just her good time. But Axel was like this. He preferred to have fun instead of doing his mission. Besides, if he threw the Organization off track and gave them a few days, and Axel knew where Kairi was, that would be just dandy. Naminè deserved a vacation anyways. And it was with Axel, too, and let's just say that she preferred his company above most.

"All right, let's go then," Naminè beamed up at him brightly. Mirroring her expression, Axel smiled down at her, his eyes twinkling with achievement. The smile livened his face that was usually pale and solemn. Nostalgia filled Naminè's mind painfully. She remembered the last time he smiled like that. It was a year ago, but she remembered it as if it was only the day before.

A scribble of red. A mark symbolizing love. A heart. That was what she drew on the picture she gave to him. He promised he would keep it safe. The last time she saw that picture was at Castle Oblivion. He probably threw it away after he plastered a fake smile on his perky face to please the memory witch. He knew. Axel knew about her false feelings. Naminè couldn't deny that she admired him greatly. But things seemed to have changed in the past year.

But she still admired him.

It was a tale of unrequited love, but it couldn't be love. There were no hearts involved. Naminè had to learn to deal with sorrow of loss. Axel forgot about her, until recently, when Sora's memories were finally sewed back together. That was when all of this happened.

"So, Nami, are you ready for our first stop?" Axel's voice broke through her thoughts. Slightly she nodded when Axel looked at her from over his shoulder. He smirked.

"Good. Let's go then," he grasped her hand and summoned another portal in front of them. Naminè hesitated.

"Where are we going first?" she timidly asked. Axel deviously smiled at her.

"It's a surprise."


	2. Veneficulla

Hey guys! I'm back with another chapter! This one is twice as long as the first one. Also, I went through my outlines and determined that this whole story will be seven to ten chapters long. Anywho, I want to thank everyone for the reviews! It's been a blessing to know that people actually like this. I have a shoutout to my sissy, forgiven4ever: this fic would not exist if not for her.

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Pairing: _Axel.Namine and hints of Roxas.Namine_

**Rating: **_Teen._ For sexual content, language, and suggestive humor.

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**Chapter Two : **_Veneficulla_

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It was a _nightmare_.

It was utterly and atrociously _awful_.

She would never forgive the Wielder of Flames ever again, even if he begged for it on his knees and kissed her feet. It would not change this dreadful fact that made the girl infuriated. Why did this have to happen to her? Axel was not affected, the lucky bastard. Possibly it was because of the fact that he was an Organization member, despite him being a two timer. But wasn't she different as well? She was a memory witch. She could erase people's memories, rearrange them and break hearts. She was not fond of her power, but she had to live with it.

Uncomfortably, the small girl clung onto the gravestone with sweaty fingers as she timidly peeked around its edge. She had an excellent view of the rest of the cemetery. Even though the place was dark and mist settled on the land like a blanket, she could still see clearly. Monuments of stone and granite loomed beyond the rolling hills, making it appear to be endless. The place was randomly dotted with large pumpkins and bare, eerie trees. She immediately caught sight of the red headed Nobody looking at various shadowy hiding places. With a frown, he crept carefully towards a gigantic pumpkin and peered behind it. He cursed out loud.

As soon as she caught sight of him, the teenager shrunk back to her source of concealment, holding her breath. Axel was merely a few yards away at the most, and if she made one noise, he would be sure to hear it. To be truthful, it was rather exciting to hide. It gave her some adventure in her life that didn't involve life and death. But as she held her breath, she found it hard to maintain it. After half a minute, her tiny lungs became strained, so she let out a silent gasp.

"Naminè! Where the hell are you?" Axel's voice pierced through the stillness of the graveyard. His voice echoed against the solemn gravestones. The white moonlight caused the monuments to cast multiple shadows, which made the inferno more irritable. He launched a violent kick into a nearby pumpkin, resulting in the pumpkin bursting. Seeds and juice splattered on the ground and his boot.

"Naminè, you get your bony ass out here, or I'm leaving you here!" Axel's voice was angry now, but laced with a sort of panic. "I mean it, Nami." The anger caused the girl to tremble, but the panic made her curious. Sheepishly, she thought of the idea of Axel actually worried about her. It caused her to feel warmth in her cheeks as she pondered it over. Was it possible, though? It was probable that he was faking it. But why would he care enough to take her to another world?

Why _did_ he offer to take her to three worlds? Why did he want her to be satisfied? This question repeated in her mind over and over again. It made no sense, no matter how hard she meditated on the subject. At Castle Oblivion, it seemed to her that Axel just wanted the prisoner to be content so that she would agree to save Sora, stabbing Marluxia in the back in the process. She despised Marluxia, for he haunted her dreamless nights and used her. But then there was Axel. He acted as if he cared. She knew he was just using her. He wanted her to repair Sora's memories. She still did not know why, but there had to be a reason.

Naminè settled on the ground so that she was sitting with her knees and calves underneath her. Her muscles were aching from remaining in the same position for awhile. Relaxing her arms from desperately gripping onto the stone, she placed her hands on either side of her. As soon as she did so, however, she felt a crunch from underneath her palm of her right hand. Swallowing thickly from the familiar sound, Naminè slowly turned her vision downward, causing her stomach to lurch.

"Eep!" she leaped from her crouched position, and slammed right into Axel, who had just stepped up to the gravestone and looked behind it. As soon as he saw her, though, she had jumped on him. Reacting quickly, he caught her in his arms and glanced behind her to see what frightened her.

At the base of the tall gravestone laid a fully-clothed skeleton. However, its eyes were still intact with the slightly decayed brain. Rotten meat still clung onto the skull and the bare bones were covered in a dull, brown slime. Axel winced at the gruesome sight and turned his attention back to the shaking girl in his arms, who was now hastily wiping her greasy hand on the front of her dress. She gagged as a lump formed in her throat, so she pushed Axel away and leaned over a gravestone. The inferno did not need to question her actions, especially when she began to vomit.

Nervously, he scratched the back of his neck.

"Are you okay?" he asked once Naminè stepped back with a green face. She glared at him, and then nodded once. Axel's worried face suddenly vanished and turned into rage.

"I looked _everywhere_ for you! I thought the Organization found and captured you!" Axel scolded her and perched his hands on his hips. The girl in front of him avoided his fiery eyes and wrapped her slender, white arms around her waist. This caused him to take in her change of outfit.

Perched on her blonde head was an oversized black witch hat that almost covered her blue eyes. Her dress, however, was a rather different story; to her, it looked strangely similar to black lingerie. She scrunched up her petite face and huffed out loud. She hated her outfit. It was the reason for her hiding from her comrade, who just happened to be slightly perverted. The look on Axel's face made her want to slap him. She bashfully tugged on the hem of her dress to try to stretch the length of it, but to no avail.

"You know, no matter how hard you try, it's not gonna make it any longer," declared the smirking Nobody, who tried his best not to bring suggestive thoughts in his mind. "Besides, you have stockings." True, the girl's legs were covered with black and red striped stockings, which made her more modest. But to her, it made the outfit more suggestive. Her only relief was that the stockings were not lacey. Naminè sent Axel another sharp glare.

"That's the problem. Why did I have to go through an outfit change? Why not _you?_" Naminè whined noisily and stomped her foot. Axel grinned impishly and shrugged.

"I guess I'm just special."

"It's not fair…"

"Life's not fair, kid."

Naminè scoffed before turning on her heel, making her way towards the looming metal gate at the base of the hill. As she began to move, she felt Axel grasp her limp hand and stroll beside her. She cast him a wary glimpse, catching the sign of a devious smirk on his face. He caught her eyes, so he returned the stare, piercing her soul with his emerald orbs.

"Yes?" he jeered. She sighed.

"Why are you holding my hand?"

"So you don't run away."

"I'm not going to run away…" Namine's voice trailed off as she caught sight of a pole with boards nailed to it. On one of the boards, there was 'Halloween Town' painted in a bright orange. Inwardly, she regretted making the bet with Axel. Why here? The place was possibly covered with spiders, and spiders she loathed. Marluxia reminded her bitterly of a spider, so she was fearful of them. If this world had half-decayed carcasses, they were sure to have those eight legged creatures that she hated.

"For some reason, I can't trust you on that," the red headed man remarked in a teasing tone, making Naminè clench her jaw. Even though she had to admit she liked Axel, she despised his cluelessness to sensitivity.

As the two continued down the path and through the gate, Axel's grip on her hand remained sturdy. Apparently, he had no intention of letting her go. It was hopeless. Though, she did like the fact that he held her hand. She did not, however, like the reason for it. Letting out a sigh, the girl became wary of her surroundings. They had entered a walkway bordered by a stone fence, and she could spot a large town a half a mile away. She groaned; God knew what the _people_ here looked like. From the memories of Sora she drew, she had an idea what this place was like.

It was when they were within a few yards was when Naminè felt more uneasy.

In the distance was what appeared to be a very busy little man with a tall hat. He was randomly handing gloomy pedestrians a sheet of paper and chatting excitedly with them. Naminè could not see his features well because of how far the two Nobodies were from the entry of the town. However, the man spotted the two newcomers and hurried over to them, holding a stack of papers. When he drew nearer to them, though, Naminè unknowingly stared with shock in her expression.

The little man was probably one of the 'creepy' people in this town; his face reminded the girl of a mask. A bright, cheesy smile was plastered on the man's face. An abnormally tall top hat rested on his pointed head and a red ribbon was pinned to his grey jacket: 'Mayor'. Immediately, Naminè realized that she would have to be as nice as possible to this man, for he was in control of the town. Axel shifted randomly beside her as they stopped. The mayor halted in front of them.

"Here! Here are some fine kids for our caroling program!" the little man blinked, rather obvious to the two. Axel arched an eyebrow and remained silent as Naminè smiled back down at the man. "What may your names be?" he inquired hurriedly. Before Naminè could have the chance to speak, Axel answered.

"I'm Bob, and this here is Georgia," he replied with a mordant hint. Naminè had to do all in her power to keep from letting out a small laugh. The mayor, however, took the joke seriously.

"Oh, well, Bob, Georgia…will you be interested in singing in our Christmas carol program?" he chattered happily. Naminè had to admit that even though this man was strange, he was rather friendly. She opened her mouth to speak, but, once again, Axel, or…'Bob', responded.

"No, thank you."

Naminè and the mayor pouted at the same time.

"But our pumpkin king insists on everyone joining!" the mayor protested loudly, and to Axel, annoyingly. Axel, though, came back with a quick answer.

"How come you're doing Christmas, anyway? Aren't you guys in charge of Halloween?" Axel tilted his head to the side cleverly, waiting for the mayor's explanation. Naminè threw the red headed Nobody a quick glance. Axel rolled his eyes.

"Well, Jack wanted to be in charge of Halloween _and _Christmas this year!" the mayor beamed up towards the tall twenty-two year old. Without another word, the mayor looked meaningfully at Axel, who rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Naminè stood off to the side, secretly wanting to sing with a group of carolers. It would be fun and something to do. If Axel wouldn't let her do this, then he definitely owed her. Axel shook his head.

"Nope, still not interested."

"But the king insists!" the mayor whined.

"Well, we're just visitors. We're not staying here long anyways…"

"But it would be fun!"

"I said _no, thank you_."

"But-"

Apparently, Axel's fiery, short temper was spent. With a flick of his wrist and a snap of his fingers, the pile of papers with the carols printed on them burst into red flames. Letting out a yelp, the little man leaped backwards and let the ashes litter the ground. The mayor's head suddenly whipped around to show a more gruesome face. A horror struck face was now the feature of the mayor. Naminè let out a quiet gasp and covered her mouth with her right hand, staring at the sight with wide eyes.

"Nice meeting you," Axel waved casually before snatching up Naminè's free hand and leading her into the street, leaving the mayor sulking pitifully before the pile of what used to be carols. Naminè sorrowfully looked over her shoulder and felt sorry for the mayor. What Axel did was unforgettable.

Naminè waited for when Axel and she were in an empty alley way with only a few trash cans and a scraggly black cat sleeping on the doorstep of a house. The buildings were dingy and it appeared to be the rough part of the town. Abruptly, she pulled her hand away and ceased walking, turning around and crossing her arms across her chest. Axel, confused at her action, stopped as well, curious as to why the girl was pouting.

"Hey, kid, what's wrong?" he inquired, using two fingers to push her shoulder to the side so that she was facing him. Her face was filled with anger and her eyes flashed dangerously.

"Why did you do that?" she demanded in a soft tone. Axel stepped back and shrugged lazily, crossing his arms in the same manner as the girl in front of him.

"He pissed me off," was his simple answer. Naminè scowled.

"I piss you off! You don't go and burn up my pictures!"

"Believe me, kid, it's becoming more tempting…"

"Well, you didn't have to be so mean! He was trying to be nice, and there you are being cruel and burning up all of his hard work!" she exclaimed loudly. She thought that she hit home, but Axel seemed to not care. Instead he scoffed.

"All he did was print out fifty copies. That's not work."

"I wanted to be in the caroling program…" Naminè mumbled, looking down at her feet. She had thought that when Axel wanted to go to a few worlds, he meant have fun as well. Why else would they be exploring this place? Was it just to tour the place? She wanted to have fun…

"Well, I don't," Axel said sternly, quickly losing his patience. "I don't want to go around singing gay Christmas songs dressed up like a fag." Naminè watched him from underneath her hat.

"I do…"

"The world isn't about you, Nami," the Organization member snapped back. "Life isn't simple like you think it is. Life isn't about sitting around and drawing pictures. We can't go around singing songs as if there's nothing wrong with the world. There's a lot wrong with it! It's screwed, and we can't change that fact. So stop being selfish and thinking that the world revolves around you; it _doesn't._"

That did it. The speech that Axel made hit a sensitive nerve and she bit her lip to try not to cry. What a vacation this was turning out to be. It seemed hopeless that the two Nobodies would ever agree on a subject. Maybe he did not care about her at all and he just wanted to look for Sora. That would make more sense. What a fool she was to think that Axel actually _cared_ about her. That was what she wished. That was what she wanted to be true, but it wasn't. Without another word, Naminè did the one thing she could do: she whirled around on her heel and walked down the alley way in the opposite direction that they were previously going. She knew that Axel was not following her because she did not feel his heat. She didn't even bother to look over her shoulder to see what was on his face.

As she made her way through the dark alley, Naminè felt uneasy. The buildings were rather tall and crooked. A few buildings were just weird. Iron fences bordered the alley way and as she continued, she noted that there were more homeless cats. She passed by an odd looking band with cellos and violins who seemed to be asleep. It was strange and she did not like it at all. Cautiously, she glanced around, noticing people watching her from their home windows. She swallowed thickly, and that was when she heard a faint clicking sound.

_Click, clack, hsssss…_

Naminè froze on the spot. It was following her, she knew for sure. Well, maybe not for sure. To be certain, she stepped a little ways before she heard it again:

_Hsssss…_

What _was_ that? It frightened her, and she inwardly wished that she had stayed with Axel. Now he was probably gone forever and left her here with God knows what behind her. Did he just leave her there? Horror filled her empty chest as she hurriedly looked around, trying to determine the source of the noise, but it was coming from different directions, and what's worse, closer. 

There was a time where Naminè thought she had stifled giggling and a harsh hissing noise as if to tell them to be quiet. This was not good.

Panicked, Naminè began to breathe heavily, and if she had a heart, she knew it would be pounding against her chest. Something, or someone, was following her, for whatever reason that she did not know. She found herself not being able to move after she heard the mysterious clicking and hissing again. She rarely found herself that terrified, but this time she was frantic. She held her breath, took a small step forward and stopped.

_Hsssss…_

It was _loud_, and it came from right behind her...

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Axel let out a slow breath, pacing through the streets in an angry manner. He had a lot on his mind, and here this girl wanted to do something he had hated ever since he was a Somebody. As she had stomped off like the spoiled brat she was, he felt a slight tug on what would be his heart. A strange sensation spread throughout his empty chest. It was the same feeling he felt when Roxas had left the Organization. How he missed him, and now he was trying to help his other. It the only thing he could do, now that Roxas was gone. Axel frowned slightly from the sweetest memory of his friend. It pained him to know that it was not likely to see him ever again, especially since the blonde Nobody was now joined with Sora.

So now here he was, going through this bet that he made with Roxas' girl. Well, it was supposed to be like that, just like Sora and Kairi were together. He wasn't sure why he made her the promise; it was probably just because he wanted a break to get his mind off of more important things. For instance, Kairi was safe at her home in the islands, just waiting for that boy to come. Axel smirked at the thought of throwing the Organization off track, giving him more time. But then there was the fact that this blonde haired girl had to stay with him. Riku wanted him too, didn't he?

He did like the girl, really he did. During her captivity in Castle Oblivion, he felt concerned for her and actually cared whether or not Marluxia would visit her during the night. It had angered him to know that the Graceful Assassin had planned to take her as his own after they had overthrown the Organization. Axel had stopped that. Mostly to help Sora, of _course_. But also, maybe, to help the girl as well. After all, she was Roxas' girl. But as he thought more about her, he had something gnaw into his soul. She had given him a picture with a little scribble of red on it. He wasn't sure what to make of it; maybe she admired him. As of late, however, things were much different. Naminè seemed to change, growing more concerned and stressed about putting together Sora's memories and having Roxas join him. Also, she seemed to despise Axel at present.

Most times now, she was a bitch. But other times, especially during Castle Oblivion, she was kind. She was gentle, and caring. He could not stand to see her in pain. Why was that? He did want her to be pleased and satisfied. But there were times when he was on his last nerve and she rubbed it in. He couldn't help but snap; he had a short temper. Another reason he was slightly angry with her was because she had helped Roxas join with Sora. Now, Sora and Roxas were basically the same, but still…Axel missed his best friend. And now he was gone. Only part of Sora would remember the memories that Roxas and the red headed inferno had. But it would be a distant memory.

Letting out a sharp exhale, Axel gathered his thoughts together as he neared a corner of the alleyway. He had noticed earlier that it was rather creepy at this world. Maybe the next world he chose to go to would be less frightening for the girl. He could tell that she was uncomfortable here, especially with her outfit. He wasn't that bothered by it, of course…Damn his perverted-ness. Was that even a word? He wasn't sure what to call it.

As Axel rounded that certain corner, he stopped.

What he saw made him flabbergasted. He wasn't sure whether to gasp, laugh, or remain silent. It was a funny sight, yet, when he recognized the girl, it immediately turned to sudden worry and concern.

His girl was dangling _upside down_, her hair a shimmering curtain. Her eyes were closed and her mouth set to a grim frown. Axel could tell that she was out of it. But that wasn't what made him appalled; what held her upside down made his jaw nearly drop. Around her body was a transparent casting, almost like a thick spider web…Which drew to his attention. Where was she dangling from, though? Well, there were a couple of clothes lines connected to the building that weaved here and there. Enough said. But resting on the clothes lines was what made Axel shocked to the point where he couldn't move.

A seven foot long spider. Yes, a _seven_ foot long spider. It looked similar to an overgrown tarantula. Oh, and damn it to hell; the girl was excessively afraid of spiders. That would explain why she passed out. Or it could be because the spider bit her and she was poisoned…Axel snapped out of it. Any thoughts of Naminè being in danger, especially the risks of death, made him clench his jaw. He suddenly caught sight of the children who were possibly behind this sick joke. Three children dancing in a circle and cackling: one looked like a demon, the other a witch, and the other…a ghost? Or was that a skeleton? Either one, they all looked demonic. That would explain their prank.

Axel had to act fast if the girl was dying of poison. She probably wasn't, but he had to be sure. Thoughts of her slipping away made him almost panic, but he had to keep his cool. Thank goodness he was behind a trash can, or the company would have spotted him. Casually he ducked, concealing himself. He had to come up with a plan, and quick…Were children afraid of men with flaming fists? Or his chakrams alone could scare them. Fire was the main key.

In the meantime of Axel's plotting, the children (a.k.a. demonic bastards) held hands and formed a circle, dancing and teasing the girl they had captured after she had frozen to death. They were lucky that she was afraid of spiders; now it would be easy to do whatever they pleased with her, since she would not put up a fight.

Barrel, the boy who was dressed in a skeleton costume, had wanted to back out on the plan. He was the 'lesser of evil' in the children's group. He was fun to pick on, though. When the children began to follow the girl in the black dress, he was skeptical. But now that they had accomplished their scheme for foul play, he was enjoying himself. Lock, the demonic kid (no, the one _dressed_ as the demon: they're all demonic) had come up with the plan the moment they had spotted the lone girl. The witch girl, Shock, was the one who had the tool to use, so of course it took some convincing. Why would she freely allow her pet spider to be used for Lock's enjoyment? So now she was waiting for the moment when she would torture the boy in exchange of payment. She had grinned at the thought of it.

All of the children ranged around the ages of ten to twelve years of age, Barrel being the youngest and Shock being the oldest. The group loved to cause havoc to the town's people, especially the Mayor. Luckily, they always got away with it, for there would be no evidence of their destruction. At this moment, though, they were enjoying their time that they had before someone found them.

"Did you see the look on her face?" Shock giggled wickedly as the children ceased their dancing. Lock sniggered in response and Barrel simply smiled.

"It was simply wonderful! I don't think I've ever seen someone so scared in my life!" the demonic boy answered his close friend. She smirked as she glanced above their heads to see her darling pet spider.

"What do you suggest we do to her now?" she questioned as she slyly rubbed her chin and adjust her purple witch hat. Barrel, the one who kept silent most of the time, gasped.

"I know! How about we take her to Oogie Boogie?" A fantastic idea from one so quiet and timid. Shock rubbed her hands together and let out another one of her cackles.

"That's perfect! Let Tiny have some more fun with her, first-" The girl stopped her speech when something caught her attention. She saw something from the corner of her black eyes, so she turned toward the direction of the corner of the alley. The other two comrades copied her actions and stared. A tall red headed man, most likely not of this world, rose up from behind the trash can, a murderous glint to his emerald eyes. He wore a simple black cloak. He was a few yards away, but Shock could actually _feel_ his anger. They would have just laughed, if not for the fact that he was _enormous_! He was sure to be at least six feet tall, which was practically giant to the children. They trembled as he slowly approached them, the rage in his countenance becoming clearer.

But it wasn't until he was a few feet away from them when he spread his long arms out. His hands suddenly were engulfed with burning flames, and all around them a ring of red fire erupted from the ground, seemingly out of nowhere. The demon possessed children cowered and clung onto each other, shivering in fear. It wasn't every day a flaming mad man charged at them. Nor throw his head back and laugh wildly, piercing the silence with the insanity. Obviously, at this point, the children had picked the wrong person to capture. They didn't know that someone would actually come _looking_ for the girl!

Immediately, Shock jumped, dashing through another alley off to the side with Lock and Barrel on her tail. They did not want to mess with this pyromaniac or his girl anymore. Tiny, the large spider (oxymoron, isn't it?) scurried away into the darkness of the alley, the same one that the children sprinted off in. It vanished without another sign.

Axel slowly breathed out, relaxing his muscles, allowing the flames to die down. His plan had worked and he was triumphant. But the question was now…how the hell was he going to get the girl down?

* * *

Odd, isn't it? O.o' Oh well!

Note: The name of the chapter is 'witch' in Latin. I'm not sure if I have it correct, but my sister says it is.

Note II: Yes, I've watched 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' a million times. I'm a nerd. The enviroment is based off of the movie, not the game. The game's Halloween Town is slightly different than that of the movie's.


	3. Imbecillitas

Whew! It's been awhile since I updated, yes? But I promised myself I would finish this by November. Now, this chapter is dedicated to Schmelly Inc. and punkiemonkie for encouraging me when I felt absolutely awful about this fic. Hopeful this chapter isn't atrociously hideous, no? Anywho, this chapter is super long. But I hope you'll enjoy it.

* * *

**Pairing: **_AkuNami_

**Rating: **_Teen. _For sexual content, language, and suggestive humor.

**Warning:** Beginning of chapter may be slightly rough; don't read if you are under the age of thirteen. XD

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**Chapter Three :: **_Imbecillitas_

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Her knuckles turned from peach to white as her fingers clenched tightly around the edges of the sketch book. Her azure eyes widened as the fear crept through her spinal cord. She trembled at his touch as his fingertips grazed over the marble skin of her shoulder. His breath whipped around her cheek as he leaned over her, causing her to shake. He sniffed her hair, as if it beheld some beautiful secret that was unknown. She was frightened. If she had a heart, if would be thudding against her chest. If she could, she would scream. If she could, she would run. But she couldn't. She couldn't, not at all.

She was his prisoner, his doll, his plaything. She was powerless. She was to obey his order, or be punished, in one way or another. Her eyes shut tightly as his fingers trailed from her shoulder, down her pale arm. His other hand played with her blonde tendrils, twirling a strand around one of his leather clad fingers. She held her breath as she felt his pale lips brush against the shell of her ear. She felt the warmth of the hushed whispers being said against her skin.

"What did I say, Naminè?" His voice cold and smooth, like pure silver, like a venomous spider. It was softly spoken, but the tone was harsh, making her flinch. "I said…'Don't draw him again', didn't I?"

Naminè scarcely and numbly nodded, shivering at the dangerous tone to his seductive voice. 'Don't draw him again'. Why couldn't she draw him? Why couldn't she draw the only one who talked to her like a human being? Like…a somebody? That one Nobody who hoped and dreamt for something that others had not yet to hope for? Why was that?

The next thing she knew, she was being pulled up by her arm, her sketchbook being ripped from her grasp. She let out a quiet gasp as she felt her back collide in his broad chest; her form tremored. Her sketch book was tossed to the floor, clattering against the freezing cobblestone tiles. It flipped open to a certain page that caused her to shift her gaze from it. His smiling face. It was the second picture she drew of him, and the Graceful Assassin had found it. He was angry…

His mouth caressed her neck as he held her close to his body. His grip tightened around her arms. She squirmed, trying to escape, but he was too strong. She was no match. Suddenly, she was being pushed forward, and she collapsed on the floor, her knees buckling and her cheek slamming against the hard surface. Her body sprawled across the floor as she let out a strangled cry.

"This was your last chance…" came the voice that haunted her nights. Pitifully, she sniffed, trying to lift her figure from the floor. Cautiously, she glanced over shoulder to see his smirking features. Handsome, true, but murderous and merciless. She was his slave. How she hated her master. But she was wrong there; she could not hate. But if she could, she would. She would hate him with all of her soul. She couldn't get out of this situation, even if she tried with all of her heart. But she had not a heart. Staring at him through bleary eyes, Naminè watched as he tilted his head to the side, smiling.

"Time for your punishment, Naminè."

She shut her eyes tightly and prayed for the moment to just go by as quickly as possible. But the strange fact was, when she was tossed to the floor, when he touched her… she felt numb. She didn't really feel it. But she felt him tug at the front of her dress, trying to expose her breast. She felt his hands lingering there…why was that? It was so…_real_, yet she knew it was a nightmare. It was caused by fear, and the last thought that was on her mind when she slipped into slumber. Now, however, everything was seemingly so real, so real it scared her. She let out a soft exclamation as she forced her eyes open, jumping back to consciousness when she felt another tug at her dress.

The strange thing was… it _was_ real.

Though, it was not the Graceful Assassin who was violating her. The bare truth sent her stomach twisting in an odd way that made her want to throw up again for the second time that day. Sapphire met emerald as she awoken from her nightmare, only to be thrown into another one. It hurt her. Why did she feel this pain? Was it the fact that it was her beloved guardian who was attempting to undress her? And how could she feel this pain? She thought Nobodies could not truly feel sadness, pity, nor happiness. Maybe they were all wrong. What was right, though, was the fact that Axel was pulling at the front of her dress, his hands nearly gripping that awkward part of her body.

She would have slapped him. Oh, how she wanted to. But the sickening thing was that her hands were trapped, for she was bound. _Oh my God, it's bondage_, she thought, feeling heat rising in her cheeks. So this was it then? Axel would rape her, she would be scarred for life and left here to die with seven foot long spiders and Sora would be killed? Nice. But _why_ would Axel do such a terrible thing? She didn't know why, but she panicked. The first thing that was on her mind was this:

"_HELP!!!!_" she screeched at the top of her lungs, summoning as much power she could manage to muster. Maybe some odd Halloween creature would hear her and save her! Then she would be stuck here forever…Nice, again. But she was cut off; yes, cut off by the inferno who, in fact, was surprised to hear the girl screaming. He clamped her mouth shut, praying to whatever god that no one heard her cries. Naminè squirmed and stared up into his piercing eyes with bleary orbs. It couldn't be true…could it? To her horror, he leaned over her and lowered his face to hers, causing her to widen her eyes. But the scowl on his face and the words he spoke made a whole new other feeling to wash over her.

"_Shut up_, Nami!" he whispered harshly, confusion and relief written on his features. "You're tangled in this _freaking_ damn spider web and I'm trying to help you. Now shut up!" She fluttered her eyelashes as she felt his hot breath on her face. The panic in his voice and the look on his face made her immediately relax. She breathed out through her nose and drooped her eyelids when relief flooded through her. Thankthe _gods_ that her nightmare was merely _just_ a nightmare. How horrible it would be if it were true…She could have cried in utter happiness, except for the fact that she remembered what Axel said: 'spider web'.

S-s-spider web?

She gazed down uncomfortably, since she was, after all, lying on the hard side walk and this red headed Nobody was crouched over her trying so desperately to tear off the sticky webs. It was not working. Why was he in such a hurry? It wasn't as if she was going to die. She wasn't claustrophobic, yet she was arachnophobic…She shuddered at the thought of the monstrous beast that caused her to faint. It was so hairy! And it was so slimy, too. When she had seen it, she slipped out of this world and into her nightmare that was so realistic. Now she was awake, with spider webs closely bound to her body.

Axel grunted as he tried ripping off a section near her feet. She couldn't help but stifle a giggle. To tell the honest truth, it was all rather funny. Well, she was stuck in a sticky situation, (ha ha…) and Axel was trying so hard to get her out of this mess. She imagined what a pedestrian would have thought if they passed by the humorous sight. She let out a muffled snort. Axel whipped his face towards her and narrowed his eyes, stopping his actions when he noticed her smile. A scowl formed on his face as he crossed his arms and huffed.

"What's so damn funny?" She smiled wider.

"You."

"Well, it's not funny! I'm trying so damn hard and here you are taking this lightly! You know I had to scare off three demon possessed bastards to save you? Freaking sons of bitches…" Axel rambled as he threw his hands in the air. He was losing his temper, which wasn't a surprise…Seriously, he wasn't red headed for nothing. And fire…well, enough said. The man continued: "And I thought you were dying of poison! I was trying to get you out so you wouldn't die!" Naminè's smile disappeared as the words hit her. A solemn expression darkened her face as she furrowed her eyebrows.

He…cared for her? No, that wasn't possible, was it? After all, he probably just didn't want her to die because he wanted her to join with Kairi. Yes, that was it. Of course. Again, she was running away with her foolish ponderings. She watched him listlessly as he tore off a tiny piece of spider web and began to fiddle with it in his long fingers. She was rather itchy in this web, so maybe he _should_ hurry up…But she took an interest in his useless play and stared as he twisted it and stretched it. It was durable, that was for sure. He then placed it on the payment next to her figure and gazed at it for a few seconds. Suddenly, a tiny spark of a flame erupted and swallowed the sticky substance in red fire. Quickly it died down, leaving nothing but black dust in its place.

Axel mischievously glanced up at her and grinned.

"I have an idea…"

Dread crept through her empty chest as the same thought entered her mind. Her eyes widened and she frowned, barely opening her mouth in shock. Before she could speak, though, he rose up on his feet and balanced himself, straightening his stance. Clearing his throat, he stretched out his arms and smirked, cracking his knuckles as he weaved his fingers together and flexed. Naminè's frown only deepened even more as he rubbed his hands together and looked down at her with a mysterious glint in his green orbs.

"Time to get hot," he jested, half-kiddingly. Naminè immediately squinted her eyes shut and whimpered. Sure, she trusted him, but she had her doubts. Could he control fire skillfully? Well, he should, for he was the wielder of flames. He could handle flames like an expert! Why, when she was in Castle Oblivion, he showed off to Larxene and Marluxia, and sometimes even her. He was so…proud of himself, wasn't he? Catching her attention, Axel reached out and extended his right hand with a hidden smile. She closed her eyes again.

She felt the flames suddenly engulf her body, casting her into a momentary lapse of Hell. So…this was what Hell was like, right? Excruciating pain caused by fire, burning every inch of a person's body. But it ceased all of the sudden. The pain stopped and the girl dared to open her eyes. She looked down at herself and noticed her body was now covered with a blanket of ash. But her skin…it was not affected at all. In wonder, she glanced up at the man who had freed her from her entrapment with a prepared smile, but she frowned.

Axel was on his knees and holding onto his waist that even Naminè thought was extremely thin. He breathed unevenly and slowly raised his gaze up to meet hers. Why was he so tired? She sat up, feeling a couple of cracks in her spinal cord and the ash whispered through the wind that softly blew in the streets every now and then. She didn't care if she was dusty or dirty. Not now.

Come to think of it, it was possibly a huge deal of work…Having to control fire like that was scarce. It was his gift, but never did she think that he could control it like _that_. She didn't have an inch of burnt skin! But the entire spider web had disappeared and turned into crusty black ash. She bashfully gulped as she crawled towards Axel with a hint of a smile on her face. He looked so pitiful, all weak and tired. He sure did need this vacation. Carefully, Naminè reached forward and touched his shaking shoulder.

"Axel?"

He started and quickly glanced up at her with suspicion knitted through his brow. His held his breath, or at least she thought he did; she couldn't hear him panting anymore. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, barely a hint. Naminè paused as well, realizing how much care she had laced in her voice as she spoke his name sweetly. It was strange; almost foreign to her tongue as she whispered his name. She swallowed thickly as she gazed back at Axel.

"Yeah, Nami?" he jested playfully, with an edge of tiredness to his voice. The memory witch let in a sharp breath and stuck out her chin. She bore her eyes into his as his sides continued to heave. She would have looked away, blush, and look back. But she didn't. Instead, she stared.

She didn't have time to think about how empty his eyes were, for he now stood on his feet and staggered a single step forward. Naminè still sat on the ground with her knees under her chin and her arms wrapped around her legs. Painfully, Axel clutched onto his stomach and winced, letting out a small moan. The thought of Axel hurt because of her made her guilty to the pit of her stomach. Heat rose in her cheeks and she felt her ears blush, if they could. Her ears were warm…that must mean that they were red, too. Naminè shook it off as she looked up at Axel with hope in her huge eyes. He clung onto his stomach again and whimpered.

"_God_, I'm so _hungry!_" The hope, despair, and guilt immediately vanished as Naminè scowled and stood up on her own feet. Relief was only a twinge tugging at the emptiness in her chest whilst anger and determination was dominant. How dare he scare her like that?!

"I thought you were dying!" she exclaimed, furious at the red head in front of her who towered over her at least a foot. He managed to grin cheerfully down at her and rub the back of his head. She felt uncomfortable as he leaned forward, only three inches from her.

"Baby, I wouldn't die after doing a stunt as easy as _that_. Though every time I do that stunt, I get these damn cravings…Besides, I'm too hot to die," he brightly smiled and perched his hands on his hips, taking in the fact that the girl was worried for him. It gave him a sense of pride. However, Naminè was going through the exact opposite. Her mouth fell open and she scrunched up her face again. What…what an arrogant jerk! Here she was concerned for him, thinking that it was all her fault that he was dying, and all it was were hunger pains? Great. She shoved him away with a swift movement of her hand, now copying his actions of resting her fists on her hips. Axel only arched an eyebrow.

"Fine, fine, I see. But I'm still so hungry! And I don't think I'd eat any of the food they serve here," he jabbed his thumb over his shoulder and rolled his eyes. "Well, before we go on with our little chat…" Axel demonstrated his point by extending his hand out and summoning a dark portal. Naminè sent him a glare, slightly curious as to why on earth he was creating a portal. But she was soon answered when Axel withdrew his hand from the portal and held in his hand…sea salt ice cream. The portal disappeared and he began enjoying his treat, making a gesture with his free hand towards the witch. Naminè scoffed lightly.

"I'm serious, Axel," she caught his full attention by merely stating his name. He watched her as he licked away at the salty ice cream. "Please don't do that again. I don't want to stress about you getting hurt. I'm already stressed out about Kairi and Sora. All right?" she quipped curtly with an emotionless expression. Axel nodded simply once and smirked.

"Aw, does Nami have a crush on me?" he joked without an edge of seriousness at all. He cocked his head to the side and allowed his smile to broaden. Naminè didn't smile back. A minute passed before Axel got the message and sighed. Half finished with his ice cream, he threw it over his shoulder and shrugged, bowing his head and letting out a soft exhale of breath. The sound of a loud 'thwump' and a cat yowling didn't even phase him.

"Sure. Let's go," he held out his left hand towards her and waited. Naminè skeptically stared at it, examining the leather of his glove and how long his fingers were. She sometimes wished that he a bit more serious with his work and his jokes. But that was what she liked so much about him; he took things easily and tried to make humor, even if times were extremely tough. Sure, he had a lot on his mind lately and even lost his temper with her, but he seemed so positive other times. She simpered and placed her small hand in his.

Axel made a 'hmph' sound in his throat and began making his way down the alley with the girl holding his hand. Together they strolled casually, not passing any words. Gradually, he slid his hand out of hers and crossed his arms, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. The girl bit her lip when he removed his hand from hers. No, they weren't friends. He was just a guardian. So why was she so disappointed? She was the only one who liked him, and there was no way he admired her at all. So why was she offended? She thought that she accepted that fact.

As they exited the alley way, Naminè lifted her eyes up and halted. She seemed to remember this place…It was in a picture she drew from Sora's memories. But never has she thought that she would actually go to the place. It was a town square, with buildings bordering it and a large gate looming ahead. What drew her utmost attention was the huge fountain in the center of the courtyard. It was dreadful…The water was…_green_. She gulped silently and turned towards Axel, who was stilling gently stroking his sharp chin. Hastily, he averted his gaze from the sky to her.

"You know, speaking of demon possession…" he murmured. Naminè started.

"Were we talking about demon possession?" She asked timidly and blinked rapidly. She wasn't sure what brought up the random topic. Yes, he did mention about demon possessed kids earlier, but that was, at the least, ten minutes ago. He truly did have a unique personality. Naminè couldn't help but let a small smile grace her pale lips. But Axel didn't catch the humorous sign as he looked ahead towards the fountain.

"No, we weren't talking about it," he said. "But I was thinking about it…this place sure could use an exorcism…" he mumbled now, seemingly talking to himself. What? Even the great, never-fear Axel was afraid of the place? This was rich. She thought he was positively glorious when it came to courage. Apparently he was just as a Nobody as she was. She withheld a laugh as she glanced back at him. The two began to walk again, only this time towards the fountain. Of course, it was interesting, despite the color of the water…and there was a sculpture of a creature on it, so it was even more intriguing.

"Why does it?" she replied light heartedly. She held her head high as she doubtfully cast a quick glance over her shoulder, hoping that nothing was following her.

"This place has seven foot spiders, demonic children…All we need now are talking skeletons!"

All of the sudden, for some strange reason that made no sense in this world, the green substance in the fountain began to bubble uncontrollably, causing Naminè and Axel to take a step back in unexpected fear. The girl's face transformed from worry to curiosity whilst the red headed Nobody beside her arched an eyebrow as they watched, waiting for the water to subside. Finally it did, allowing small rings of ripples to extend across the glassy surface. Axel stepped towards the fountain with the girl copying his actions as they leaned over the edge of the brick monument.

"Well…that was interesting," Axel scratched his chin, his eyes locked onto the area of activity. "You know, for a moment, I was half-expecting an actual-"

He was cut off. Yes, cut _off_ by a creature leaping from the depths of the murky water and onto the edge of the fountain. It released a horrid ear-piercing shrill, causing the memory witch to automatically jump into the pyro's arms, making his normal response to spring backwards in surprise from the whole ordeal. The creature, covered from head to toe in an olive colored slime and black seaweed resembling plants, unleashed another loud shriek, which resulted with the girl clinging desperately onto Axel's neck and screaming fearfully in his ear.

"_Gah!"_ he yelped, frustration overcoming the shock. He held the girl after she had pounced on him, since it was the gentlemanly way to do. His eyes, which were locked onto the strange monster, darted to the girl's horror stricken face and back to the creature. The creature had stopped its foul screeching and had straightened its position, gazing at the still-bawling Naminè in Axel's grip. Its head tilted to the side as the red head grimaced and gritted his teeth.

To Axel's utter surprise, the thing spoke.

"Was I really _that_ scary?"

Naminè ceased all noises and blinked as she glared up at the _thing_ standing tall before them.

It was incredibly thin; in fact, almost stick thin. Its limbs were like twigs as they hung by the creature's sides. They rose up to remove a black mass of swamp plants and excess slime from its face to reveal some sort of countenance that resembled a smiling skull with huge, empty eyes. Naminè almost gasped as she recognized the character from Sora's memories. It was somewhat odd that she only remembered a few people from the mind of the keyblade master and not other, less important ones. But this character, she knew, was a friend of Sora's. Unfortunately, Axel was unaware that Jack was _not_ a bloodthirsty villain.

"Holy _shit!_ This place _does_ have talking skeletons!" Axel's eyes widened in disbelief as he realized his prediction came true; this world beheld the horrors of intelligent skeletal structures. A surge of protectiveness overwhelmed him as he allowed the girl in his arms to be released so that he would be able to stand in front of her, a bold move in the art of protective…ness. He glowered at the terrible creature and he held up his arms, extended his index fingers so that they met in a sign similar to that of a religious cross.

"Be gone, thing of Satan!" the words bellowed from his mouth, though it did not affect the beast in the least bit.

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The moonlit graveyard was filled with the sweetness of her presence as she sat cross legged at the base of the hill. A pumpkin was cradled between her knees as she fished out pumpkin juice and seeds, neglecting the substance and leaving it in a pile beside her. A small carving knife retrieved from the scientist and given to her by Jack rested at her feet to be used. Its sharp tip had pricked her finger more than once while she had cut the top of the pumpkin to create a lid, but she didn't mind. She had also taken some anti-venom that was forced down her throat by the red headed Nobody who wanted to be one hundred percent sure that she was not poisoned. She wasn't, she knew this, but she took the medicine anyway to make her guardian secure about her life. After all, she needed to live in order to make Kairi whole. And that was what was important to Axel.

The girl was oblivious to the fact that someone was watching her from above. Axel stared down at her as he was perched on top of the hill, which was curved in the most peculiar way indeed. His acid green eyes rested on her figure and he mentally thanked goodness that her head was bowed as she concentrated on her intriguing project. Beams of silver met her blonde tendrils and made a shining halo for the angel in the cemetery and he admitted to himself that he admired her image.

Yes, he thought she was beautiful.

He had always thought she was, ever since she came to existence as a Nobody. Her pallid white skin, her golden hair, and her bright sapphire eyes were absolutely wonderful. Her smile, though, was positively kind and gentle. But she didn't smile anymore, not since these happenings with Sora.

Did she _love_ Sora? Did she _love_ Roxas? Did she _love_ him? It was all confusing…but she must have admired him somewhat at sometime during their stay at Castle Oblivion; why else would she draw that picture? But then, why was she so concerned about the keyblade master and his Nobody? She was Roxas' girl, right? He thought he had accepted that. It was understandable, yes, except for the fact that she drew that picture of the red headed pyro. He wanted to know what she felt. It wouldn't even matter, however, since he, of course, could not feel. But if not, how could he not stand to see her hurt? How could he be so…protective of her?

He thought back on the earlier events of that day. It was a mere few hours prior to the present, and he sheepishly grinned in good humor as he remembered how idiotic he was. He had thrown himself in front of the memory witch to guard her from the terrors of the frightening monster. Turned out that Jack, the freaking king of Halloween Town, was _not_ so horrible. In fact, he was impossibly nice and good mannered, unlike Axel. Sure, Jack Skellington was slightly offended by Axel's debate on whether he was some demon possessed creature or not. Poor guy.

Of course he didn't love her; he didn't think he did. But she was a cute kid, and he felt the need to be her guardian through the dangers of life. She annoyed him sometimes, but other times he enjoyed her company. It all did not matter in the least bit, for she would be joined together with Kairi and finally be happy.

Yes, happy. She would be happy to be away from the troubles of her current life. Would she remember him if she was together with Kairi again? Would Kairi know?

Why the hell was he so focused on this dilemma?! The only thing that was important was Axel finding Kairi, have her and Naminè join, and save Sora, and he himself would try to save Sora as well. The main reason for that, however, was that Roxas was inside the keyblade master. He was his best friend, and he felt like he actually had a heart when he was around him.

He felt the same way when he around this girl. Not that he could actually _feel_, but it was if he did.

Axel's eyes flickered momentarily when his mind brought back the memory of an event that made him sure of his conclusion. It was a year ago, and he himself could not bring himself to understand what he went through that day.

**- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -**

_His strength and will power was scarcely enough for him to fight this battle. He had to stop this demon, this Graceful Assassin, before it was too late. He grunted as he thrust his chakrams towards the brunette leader of Castle Oblivion, who simply blocked the attack by using his scythe to counter the hostile move. The deadly weapons flew back to the red headed Nobody's grip, and he prepared himself for another move. _

_What the Lord of Oblivion did next threw the Flurry of the Dancing Flames off with unexpected dread. _

_He smirked maliciously at the younger Nobody as he outstretched his left arm and summoned a dark portal of shadow, causing Axel to quirk an eyebrow with curiosity. As the darkness subsided, the red headed man froze in his attack position, a crouch with his body tense and ready to spring forward with full force. He stopped himself when he caught sight of the prisoner standing in front of Marluxia._

_Her eyes glimmered with fear with her hands held at her mouth, and her figure tremored violently. Marluxia's hand rested on top of her blonde head and his scythe hung lazily to his side as he awaited Axel's reply to this utter madness. Axel stood there for a moment, still, but quickly regained his countenance and straightened his stance. He forced a small smirk and a throaty half-hearted snort, masking his true thoughts from the Graceful Assassin. _

_If only he knew… _

_If only he knew what rage welled up inside the pyromaniac. If only he knew how pissed off he was and how much he wanted to cut Marluxia's head off and burn his brains out after kicking his ass. If only he knew what surge of remorse and concern Axel was experiencing. But he had to cover it up; if he knew that the witch was a weakness, he could easily defeat him. _

_But what could he do? He had to help Sora, but part of him was screaming at him: "Stop him! Help her!" But he couldn't. Should he give up the future of their world for this girl? Was she worth it? He wasn't sure. But he had to make a fast decision…_

**- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -**

Should he have done what he did? He stated that he would have plowed through her and tossed her helpless body aside, just so that he could slaughter the assassin. But he didn't have to. But now that he had said that and her presence was there to witness the remark, he knew that she must have felt as if he _hated_ her enough to kill her. But he didn't. Axel often regretted his choice, but he didn't linger on the subject in his mind when he did think of it. He didn't worry about it as much as he probably should have. She possibly despised him now because of that event.

But it was hard, you see? It was difficult to see his girl being put up as a shield, to be used against. When Marluxia felt threatened, he used the girl as a defense. He _cowered_ behind her like the bastard he was. He _knew_ what Axel thought of her. Axel had spent the most time watching the witch. The leader of Oblivion had found Naminè's picture of the lanky Nobody and he was angry with her, therefore he punished her. He _knew_ what she thought of Axel. He _knew_ a lot of things, but now the dick was destroyed. But he remembered those moments as if it was yesterday…

His ponderings were interrupted abruptly as an orange object was practically shoved in his face with haste and impatience. He jumped, startled by the sudden movement until he caught the glimpse of the blushing girl. In her hands was a medium sized pumpkin with a grinning face carved into its thick skin. He had to confess that the kid did a pretty damn good job with the limited time they had. Axel met Naminè's cerulean gaze and sent her a kind smile. She returned it with a perky simper of her own.

Then her mouth opened and formed those words he dreaded:

"I want to see Santa."

* * *

So, take her to see Santa, Axel! It isn't _that _hard, is it?

Think again.

Note: The title of this chapter means 'Weakness', since, well, you know. Naminè is sort of like Axel's weakness? Okay, never mind…

Note II: Yes, I have it where Axel already admires her, as well as vice versa. I have a certain timeline to work with, and Axel and Naminè falling in love in three to five days? _No_. So I have it already at the mid-point of that whole ordeal, hoping to explain their admiration for each other by using past events of the story. If that makes any sense…O.o Just ask me in a review if you're confused, and I will do my best to explain it to you thoroughly.

Reviews are loved! I'd appreciate it a bunch, and I love you guys. You're awesome.


	4. Calefacto

Hopefully this isn't too harsh on poor Santa Claus...so I was going to update on Christmas Day (Omg, Christmas Town, anyone?!) but alas, school work piled up. And le basic ala drama...But shout outs to _Manwathiel_ because after reading her new AkuNami fic, I was inspired to finish up this chapter. And _Schmelly Inc._ because she's been giving me such wonderful support and her fics give me inspiration to write as well. And _punkiemonkie_, for awesome support and advice; you've been such a help to me. X3

**Pairing: **_AkuNami_

**Rating: **T for Santa bashing

**Warning:** Santa…bashing…on Axel's part, of course.

**- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -**

**Chapter Four :: **_Calefacto_

**- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -**

White flecks sprinkled down on her face as she gazed longingly into the sapphire colored sky. Pieces of ice kissed her cheeks and ski jump nose and she grinned in spite of herself. The sight of flurries of pure white bits of ice in the air made something swell up on the inside of her empty chest; it was similar to happiness and satisfaction. She was _satisfied_ by this new scene. She had never seen snow before. She had heard of it, she had seen pictures of it, but never experienced the miraculous feeling of standing in two feet deep snow and having icy fingerprints being showered upon her head and shoulders. It was quite refreshing, and she felt free.

She stood with her back facing an enormous cedar tree, surrounded by mounds of freezing snow. A door with the face of a pumpkin was on the smooth surface of it, which was their way back to Halloween Town, if ever they wished to return there. It was highly doubtable, but still rather possible for the duo to go back. Beyond her, a path was carved in the snow as it led downhill towards a small city, shining brightly with colorful lights, mostly consisting of reds and greens. She could even spot a gigantic tree in the center square decorated with blinding lights. Her eyes flickered with bittersweet remorse as she spotted children in the distance, dancing on a frozen pond, and she could hear their lovely, musical laughs.

Naminè arched an eyebrow as her immediate attention drew down to her outfit. Surprisingly, she actually admired it a great deal. Her stockings were red and green striped, and at the ends of her feet, they curved, a sort of fashion for elves in the Christmas department. Her dress was like her original white dress, and it covered more of her thighs than the last lingerie-resembling outfit. On her head, she adorned a red hat with white fuzzy trimming, also known as a typical Santa Claus hat. Overall, she did like her outfit. What was going on in her thinking process, however, was the question of where her guardian was.

True, he had disappeared, but she, of course, had every objective on finding him. She was reminded of her time in the graveyard of their arrival to the world. She concealed herself from Axel for she was embarrassed by her outfit changed. That, for sure, was absolutely ridiculous. If _his_ outfit didn't change in Halloween Town, it shouldn't have changed in Christmas Town… Could it? No, definitely not. He was a member of the Organization, and they were somewhat special. No, it must have been another reason, unless he was lost. Why would _he_ be lost and not her, though? It didn't make sense.

"Axel?" her clear, yet timid, voice rang out in the air like a bell. She winced when she realized how her call echoed throughout the valley. There was no answer.

"Axel! Where are you?" the white witch's plea tremored slightly as her chin trembled uncontrollably. The girl swallowed thickly and her azure eyes darted back and forth from each mound of snow to the cedar tree behind her. Surely he could have been hiding behind it?

"Axel, please answer me!" her gaze stayed on the tree and her orbs widened, hoping for her guardian to appear for her. But he didn't. A soft, muted pang of some unspeakable emotion thudded against her chest, yet she was unaware of what it was. Some fake feeling of abandonment, she supposed. But it _hurt_, and she was not used to this new development. This new…emotion. It was odd, and uncomfortable, and it only grew as she panicked and spun around, searching desperately for him. Colors blended together as she whirled on the spot; white with green, red, and navy bled into each other. She stopped suddenly, holding her head and squinting her eyes shut as her mind buzzed erratically with dizziness.

"_Axel, answer me right now!"_ Naminè screeched into the stillness, causing a few cardinals to fly out of the branches of the cedar and flutter off into the night sky.

"I'm sure as hell _not_ coming out!" a muffled shout was heard from behind the huge tree. Her head snapped towards the direction of the entrance to Halloween Town and her head cocked to the side interestingly.

"Why not?" her reply was sent back to the inferno, who had hid himself for some unknown reason. A small smirk quirked on the girl's rose-colored lips as a thought of an outfit change entered her mind.

"Because I _said_ so…" The girl blinked once as she silently crept towards the tree, her feet creating deep footprints in the cold snow. Her body shivered, for she felt the freezing air affect her temperature. But she didn't want to leave this place just yet; she wanted to explore and enjoy their newfound surroundings. It was the first time she ever experienced the freshness of the snow and the joy of Christmas. She couldn't remember what Christmas was like…for she couldn't remember how it was to be Kairi. And it definitely didn't snow on Destiny Islands.

She never felt so _cold_ before. Only emotionally, for her soul would be enveloped by a freezing numbness, secluding her from the cherished feeling of happiness. So all of this, being in Christmas Town, was a new adventure; one that she wanted to enjoy. Also, she so longed to see Santa! What girl didn't want to see Santa? Especially with the opportunity of meeting him face to face…Naminè quickly shook her head and tilted her head to the side as she neared the cedar tree, her plans developing into a surprise attack on the pyro.

Suddenly, she sprung forward, aiming for the shadows of the other side of the tree, expecting to land in front of a clueless Nobody. Instead, she was answered by the utter silence and empty space that the winter winds brought. Her blonde tendrils wisped about her cheeks and fluttered and danced in the breeze as she blinked in confusion.

"Up here, sweetheart," his voice now came from above. Her face tilted as she gazed into the darkness of the branches, her eyes blinking rapidly against the snowflakes and the violent gust of wind. It caused momentary blindness and she shielded her sapphire eyes with a small white hand, but still, no sign of the red head. Well, her plan didn't exactly work out how she desired it to…

"Axel, please come down…" her pleas almost went unheard and muffled in the breeze, but it was carried high above her to where the inferno escapee was hiding. His hands clutched his arms uncomfortably as he snuggled deeper into his…_coat._ He grimaced as he glared at his outfit and he sneered with disgust. He didn't want to be embarrassed, yet he didn't want the girl to go to the next world disappointed. And he didn't want to be left alone, exactly…

Axel was perched on a thin limp, and the tiny branches were sticking into his exposed skin and his _coat_. He had pounced up into the tree when he had made his anguished discovery of his outfit change, and he cradled himself next to the trunk of the tree to protect himself from the _damn_ blasts of freaking cold air. He despised the cold with an utmost passion…if it was up to him, the only seasons would be summer, summer, summer, and…oh, yes, summer.

His jade eyes rested on her as her hair whipped around her face and concealed her sight. He couldn't help but let a small smile play across his thin lips as he admired her in the dress and hat. It was…cute, he supposed was the word. Though, he did curse himself for staring at her figure in that outfit. He shook out of his somewhat perverted thoughts, making his mind be rid of any impure ponderings and replacing them with the mental image of fuzzy kittens- better that than the latter. And no, _no one_ knew of that little tidbit; not even Roxas. Unless Vexen had found the solution to mind reading and sold it to the punk…

"Please, Axel!"

He started, slightly shocked by the hint of desperate pleading in her voice as she begged for him to come down. Sighing, Axel rolled his green eyes and made his decision without even second thinking it.

His body broke loose of the bounds of the tiny fingers of twigs tugging at the fabric of his coat as he leapt from the concealment of the branches. He braced for the landing, and his feet softly touched the ground and the snow gave in to his light weight. In a crouched position still, he cautiously glanced up to see the girl before him staring at him with wide, curious eyes and her lips gently formed in an 'o' shape. Straightening his stature, Axel stretched his arms and cracked his knuckles, as he usually did. The girl barely flinched from the noise, but regained her mystical appearance. He scowled as he placed his long hands on his well-shaped hips.

"You know, you can tell me that I look like a gay pedophile; I already _know_," he huffed childishly with a sarcastic edge to his voice. Carelessly, the teenager barely shook her head as she continued to gaze.

"No, I think you look…" she stuttered slightly before spitting out the word, "good."

A short eyebrow was arched dramatically with a sour expression as the man glared at Naminè. He supposed that was all it took before the small girl collapsed on the snow covered ground and wrapped her arms around herself, trying to relieve her sides from pain of the hysterics she was going through. A flat look was sent her way, and of course, she caught it and burst into another fit of tittering, giggles and 'hee-hee-ing'. Her figure was curled into a ball, her knees brought up to her bosom and her face blushed into a bright red as her hysterical laughter danced throughout the air and echoed in the empty valley.

His lanky limbs crossed over his broad chest and an index finger tapped against an upper arm. So his outfit wasn't the most attractive…or it just didn't fit him. Damn Christmas Town…he hated this place already, and they weren't even in the freaking town part of it yet. But how could he enter that fairy-filled city with him clad in a bright scarlet floor length coat with white fur as the trimming and a matching hat? His gloves were the only items that were black, besides the belt strapped around his waist. Overall…he had to admit to himself that he seemed fairly similar to a woman. The Santa Claus hat placed on his head made his locks of spiky hair lay flat, making it seem longer than usual. He wanted to kill himself right there and he let out an exasperated sigh.

"That's it, I'm going back-" but a limp hand grasped the edge of his red cloak and prevented him from stepping backwards. Axel looked down at his feet back at Naminè, who was attempting to withhold her giggling and was pushing herself off from the ground.

"No-no, don't-g-g-go!" she pleaded as she reached up with both hands and grabbed his arm. Her face was still flushed, and tears were glistening down her cheeks as they froze in the bitter air, yet her facial features formed into a more solemn expression and her eyes beamed up at him. Thick eyelashes blinked rapidly as she clung anxiously onto him, and her figure pressed against him as his back met the bark of the cedar tree. She swallowed thickly and choked back the amused sobs as her azure orbs beseeched for his presence.

"Please stay with me…" her voice was barely audible. "I want to see Santa; I've _never_ seen him before, and I don't even know what Christmas is like. I imagine it must be wonderful, since children seem so excited around this time of year…Also, I don't want to go through here alone. Please stay?" Her doe like eyes were glimmering in the dim light from the city, and her cheeks were coated with her tears. A smile teased the edges of her mouth as she made her request. Her marble skin was seemingly a bit pale, and her body was quivering, but that was likely, since it was wintertime there.

He made a 'hmm' noise in his throat as he rubbed his chin with his free hand, trying to avoid the girl's innocent appearance as he thought for a fleeting moment.

"All right, I'll stay- but _only_ if you don't speak another word about this fag jacket," he declared bluntly as emerald clashed with sapphire. She nodded and grinned brightly, her hold on him releasing as she backed away swiftly and turned away.

He followed her as she walked around the base of the cedar tree and away from the shadows, strolling casually towards the beginning of the path towards the quaint town. Her slim figure practically floated along the wind with the bits and pieces of ice and her hair was pushed behind her ear by a tiny white hand. Her muscles tremored in the cold, but she continued down the path and down the hill, with the taller Nobody trailing behind her a few feet away. His shame of his apparel quickly grew and welled up in his chest, and he cowered from embarrassment as he tried hiding himself behind the blonde haired girl. His eyebrows furrowed in frustration from their visit.

"Why do you want to see Santa Claus anyway?" Axel randomly asked in the open, causing Naminè to throw a look over her bare shoulder. He went on; "From all the stories _I've_ heard, he sounds like a child molester-stalker freak…" his words faded along with the wind as the girl whirled around, her shoulders hunched up and a scowl definite on her petite face. Her jaw was clenched and her fists were tight.

"He is _not_ a child molester! He just loves children-"

"Yeah, therefore, proving to be pedophile material. And what's up with that song?" Axel huffed, reaching up to adjust his hat, since it became itchy and uncomfortable for his head. Naminè sent him the suggestion that she was confused with his statement as her scowl deepened. He let out an exhale of breath and rolled his eyes as he shook his head pathetically.

"'He sees you when you're sleeping; he knows when you're awake?'" he demonstrated and grumbled under his breath, hoping a nearby elf wouldn't hear his atrocious singing. The girl brought her hand to her mouth as she stifled a small snicker.

"That just means he knows what you're doing all the time," she explained plainly before turning around again. But she halted when Axel spoke again.

"Does he have a crystal ball or something?" Mordant hints were laced with his suave voice and Naminè slumped.

"I don't know. How about you ask him when we see him?" She left off at that as she seated herself on the ice covered ground. Before Axel had the chance to open his mouth to inquire about her actions, she pushed herself forward and her body went sliding down the hill. True, it was rather steep, but he preferred to not have a frozen ice-coated back and hair full of flecks of snow. But he gave in, since he examined his surroundings and noticed how far away the town was. So he sat down irritably and took in a deep breath before launching himself from the palms of his hands that were placed on the ground. Unfortunately, it didn't go smoothly as planned…

He tripped and tumbled down the hill emitting 'oofs' and 'dammits' during his short, yet painful trip. A few times he was granted the wonderful experience of having mouthfuls of powdery, dusty snow mingled with dirt and ice. He was jostled about, and he smacked into a couple of sharp and angular rocks until he had the relief of a rough landing that signaled the ending of his excruciating adventure. He clawed the moist ground as he lifted his face from the wet, icy puddle he landed in. Beside him, Naminè was standing and calmly brushing herself off and playing with a few strands of her hair. She smiled down at Axel with a glint of concern in her pools of blue.

"I think you did that wrong…" her voice trailed off when she received a piercing glare from the red headed man as he rose up onto his feet. She bashfully bowed her head and rubbed herself with shivering arms, yet that went unnoticed by the preoccupied Nobody. Her cheeks were more flushed than usual, and her nose was exceedingly rosy. The rest of her skin, however, like her arms and shoulders were pure white as the snow itself. She shuddered in the cold, yet she didn't mention this dilemma. She couldn't help it; her outfit just exposed too much of her flawless skin, and she really didn't mind…she just prayed to goodness that she wasn't developing hyperthermia. Her mind was beginning to cloud up and her eyesight was rather fuzzy and burning as the bright lights of the city beamed against it. So that was at the top of her list of things to worry about.

She was distracted, however, as she glanced away for a moment, spotting some nearby children building a snowman. They were chattering amongst themselves and laughing in good humor, and a lonely emotion grew in the pit of her stomach. A longing for the same thing consumed her ponderings and she looked back at her comrade, who was picking his teeth with his thumb, and her eyebrow arched in amazement of the silliness this man could bring.

"Can we build a snowman-n-n-n?" she cheerfully quipped with a stutter at the end of her statement, for her teeth unwillingly chattered. Startled, Axel removed his hand from its current position and he glowered at her.

"You're already asking to see Santa. Don't push it, kid-"

"C'mon-n-n, it'll be fun-n-n!" her hands found his arm and she tugged at him, pulling him along with her as she came upon a close clearing with plenty of mounds of unused snow. They were still on the outskirts of the town, so they weren't disturbing any citizens or elves of any kind.

Naminè surged forward with enthusiasm as she plopped onto a mound and scooped a huge pile of snow towards her, forming the foundation of the snow man. Some particles of ice slipped down her dress and caused her to tremble even more. But she ignored her state as she packed snow down with her bare hands. Soon, the first layer of a snowman was created. A perfect, smooth round ball of ice was standing by itself with two Nobodies gazing blankly down at it. Naminè bit her lip as she cast a glimpse at Axel, who was carelessly staring into the black sky. She grinded her teeth.

"Could you help me, Axel?" she asked with sweetness etched in her voice, hoping to persuade him into the fun, yet tedious of job. He barely even acknowledged her remark as he continued his star-gazing.

"Ah, no," he curtly responded before sticking his tongue out and catching a few snowflakes, making his appearance child like. The girl tilted her head to the side in dissatisfaction.

"Why not?" her hollow question entered his ears and he slyly smirked at her. Adroitly, he walked closer and knelt down near her and outstretched his arm, having his hand hovering above the faultless sphere of snow. Without warning, he pressed his gloved hand onto the surface of it, and a sizzling noise was created as smoke billowed from the place where he placed his hand. He removed it, and nervously the girl peered through the remaining smoke and noted a complete handprint delved deep into the snow. She gulped and scarcely bobbed her head without a single word as her guardian stood back up and returned to capturing poor, defenseless snowflakes and sending them to their doom.

Naminè quietly tended to herself into finishing the snowman whilst the man enjoyed himself into throwing burning balls of coal into random places. Of course, he had to have found the coal somewhere, and that somewhere was a pile of logs that were positioned near a few decorated trees. A few burning pieces of coal found their place lodged into other children's snowmen, and cries were carried out throughout the small park. But then Axel would hide himself in a bush or pretend to be helping Naminè build her snowman. She punished him by smacking his shoulder, or pulling a strand of red hair and he would pace away, hunting for more log piles.

She finally stepped back, nearly stumbling as dizziness began settling into her mind. But she pushed the thought away; she _longed_ to see Santa and to enjoy this time with her guardian…As she halted and examined her snow statue, a frown found her crisp face.

The snow man's face was made of coal…coal eyes, a coal smiles, and a coal nose. There were three pieces of coal lined down the middle of it, and other than that, nothing else. All in all, it was a rather bland and boring piece of work she had just accomplished, and she had to admit, it was a failure. She puckered her lips with disdain. Suddenly, she felt her arm being gripped by a warm, burning hand, pulling her towards the direction of the lively town area. She cautiously looked up to see Axel leading her in a hurried state, evidently longing to be done with this world as soon as possible.

"W-w-what's wrong?" her voice was nearly carried off in the wind that bit her viciously with the cold. Unfortunately, Axel's hold on her released and he continued to plow through the snow as they entered the main street.

"You finished your snow man, we now see Santa, and we're outta here; got it memorized?" He kept on walking, searching the town buildings for a sign that read 'Here's Santa'. But when he didn't hear her comply with his remark, or even try to refuse if she dared, he turned around.

There she was, yards behind him, crumpled in a pile on the street.

"Aw, _damn it…_"

Close by, a handful of elves halted in their frenzied holiday errands, alarmed by the suddenness of the girl's mishap. She had plummeted into the soft crystallized snow, allowing consciousness to slip from the threads of her mind and take control of her will power. Her body shivered violently in the bitter cold, yet she didn't ghost a breath or a heartbeat, for she lacked one. Of course, this calamity raised panic in the red head's void of a heartless chest, and the idea of a crowd gathering around her and wanting her to spend three weeks in a hospital entered his line of thoughts. He stomped through the snow towards her white, fragile form in a mess of limbs and tremoring marbled skin, and he knelt beside her as he cast cautious glimpses around.

"It's all right! Her sugar-level's just a tad bit low today," he announced the already-forming mob of short little people with pointed inclined ears. He ignored them then, kneeling before Naminè's seemingly broken body and placed one of his gloved hands on her hip and the other underneath her arm where her shoulder connected to her collarbone, shoving embarrassment aside for now. With a fraction of his strength, he lifted the girl from the soggy pile of ice and carefully draped her over his right shoulder, raising himself to his feet and then advancing towards the nearest inn without a moment to spare, or even a second glance at the gossiping elves.

Damn this place to hell, where hopefully it'll sizzle for all eternity…and damn Santa Claus! If it wasn't for his legendary myth of his existence, they never would have gone there in the pit of despair disguised with pretty little bows and sweet treats. He grumbled to himself as he adjusted the light Nobody more comfortably and secured her position with a grip on her waist. Her…_waist…_

Damn it.

That was when realization occurred to him that he was in actual physical contact with the witch, his arm encircled around her slender waist, her face leaning against his back and his other hand clasped around one of her calves to guarantee her safety so that he wouldn't oh-so accidently let her fall unexpectedly from his hold on her. What a man he was proving himself to be…nervous about this measly contact. Why, it was absolutely preposterous! It was absurd; what would Roxas say about his masculinity now…Evidently, there was no Roxas to tease him of silly outlandish follies such as this because he had to be the smart, sacrificing man he wanted to prove himself to be and join with Sora…It was for the best, but hell, the twenty-two year old Nobody _missed_ him…

He grunted, banishing all memories of his best friend for that moment and lifting his countenance upwards when he reached the inn, reading the sign that lovingly declared the name of the boarding house; "Santa's Little Helper- We'll offer a helping hand to those in need!" And that's what Medicare pronounced the first five years of their warrantee…

But no matter. Even if it was a brothel, he would brace himself to enter its domain for the sake of the girl's life in his arms.

He mentally scowled, plastering a feigned simper on his pursed lips whilst he turned the door's handle and ducked, barely missing the beam that was, of course, only high enough for Santa Claus to go through. All of the elves were tiny things, and it was probably ridiculous to allow their appearance to unnerve Axel in a disturbed, unexplained way. But their _faces…_and thus came the situation to say the well-known remark 'your face!' to a random passerby in this town…they were possibly the ugliest creatures his poor eyes beheld besides those strange dusks, of course.

Pitiful souls- to know that your entire race was destined to be the most hideous form of humans was a rather depressing fate.

There was a miniature sleigh bell fixed above the door so that when he struggled with his entrance, a jingling was heard to announce his coming. Warmth that should have wrapped around him didn't, for his body was already heated to his preferred liking. Inside was a small lobby area; a red and green patterned rug blanketed the hardwood floor and two red couches on either side matched so accordingly with the rest of the room. Paintings of the elves' large hero were covering the walls and posters of upcoming snowman contests littered the bulletin board behind the front desk, which stood out so boldly in a gaudy red and white striped design. It was an eyesore, but Axel managed to survive the torture.

A girl (or a woman, who knew?) was seated behind the counter, beaming amiably at no one in particular. Her cheeks were bright pink as well as her jutted nose and her green huge eyes rose up to examine the latest victim of the sugary sweetness she would display for him. He couldn't help but sneer when she made a small noise that sounded somewhat like a two year old discovering a room filled with presents on Christmas day. In other words, she had no clue how to treat complete strangers who were carrying limp bodies over their shoulder with the appearance of a pedophile. They were probably accustomed to it, what with Santa Claus prancing about the place…

"Good evening! Would you like a room for two, two separate rooms for one, a single room, a king's suite, or a Japanese styled room made for a couple on their honeymoon? It's our newest addition, and I would recommend it!" Her child-like voice bubbled affably, however it made him quite uncomfortable. Apparently she took no note of the state of the unconscious girl as she opened her book of guest records and readied herself to fill out the form with persistence in an expectant manner with her feather pen poised. Axel cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Erm, either of the two-person rooms would do fine…" he murmured quietly, guarding his actions or words that would set off an alarm of 'naughty people'. Knowing Santa, he probably had those things everywhere…unless he was omnipresent. Shaking off those thoughts, he focused his blurry gaze on the girl who cheerfully shook her head.

"I'm sorry! We have no rooms for two people available!" she forged a 100-watt smile that made him clench his jaw.

"Then why did you mention them in the first place?" he growled dangerously under his breath. His impatience was growing steadily worse, and fear of an explosion of rage sparked inside. But the elf did not take the opportunity to scrutinize his behavior and instead, once again, she grinned.

"It's my job, sir!" He blinked.

"Well…any singles?" His free hand laid on the surface of the desk, tapping the wood with his spidery fingers in an irritated state. Yet again, she shook her head, her brunette hair not budging an inch with her motion, signaling to him that she most likely over killed on the hairspray.

"We have no singles, either! May I suggest a three-person room?"

"Wouldn't that cost, like…more?" The elf girl smiled optimistically, hinting at the fact her pay for the job varied on the amount spent on rooms throughout the day.

"In my opinion, you may want an extra bed…" she hid a titter that teased her lips as they twitched, her emerald orbs dancing with humor and an untold fact that she concealed from him. Suspiciously, Axel glared at her, immediately deciding that he hated the race of elves if this girl was anything like the rest of them. Rolling his eyes and nearly succumbing to the tedious temptation to burn her hair and watch her head explode (from all that hairspray, of _course)_, he tentatively handed over the expensive fee for the residence of the room, accepted the diminutive skeleton key for room 1408 and hurried up the winding metal staircase upwards to the highest level.

When he stepped into the room, he halted abruptly with comprehension and enragement.

"What the _frick?"_

- - -

**(A/N): **-insert huge gasp- Cliff hanger! Aha, just kidding...Oh my gosh, so I had issues with this chapter. The last bit took me months to finish, and I was debating on whether making this chapter humongous or splitting it...due to my obsessive-compulsion, I had to split it to 5,ooo words. It's a shame, because my favorite part was just about to happen...but that's for the next chapter! Hopefully I can finish that up within two month's time. And I think the meaning of the title is 'Heat' or something...I forget, lmao.

Review, please- They will be appreciated, and I would love to read your thoughts on this. I don't ask them for the review count; I ask because I'd like to know your personal views on my weird, cracky fics. X3


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